Spark pump



D. K. SKOOG Sept. 6, 1966 SPARK PUMP 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 3, 9

INVENTOR. DONALD K. .SKOOG' Sep 6, 966 D. K. SKOOG 3,

SPARK PUMP Filed Nov. 5, 1964 V 2 SheetsShee-h 2 FIG. 3

INVENTOR.

DONALD K. SKOOG ATT NEY United States Patent 3,270,688 SPARK PUMP Donald K. Skoog, Mountainside, N.J., assignor to Ingersoll-Rand Company, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New Jersey Filed Nov. 3, 1964, Ser. No. 408,529 3 Claims. (Cl. 103-255) This invention relates to pumps and more particularly to an electrical spark pump.

Heretofore, electrical spark pumps have been highly ineflicient because of the lack of control of the direction of the electrical pressure impulses. This resulted in great waste of useful pumping energy.

It is the general object of the present invention to avoid and overcome the foregoing and other difficulties of and objections to prior art practices by the provision of a highly eflicient spark pump.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a fluid pump with a minimum number of moving parts.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a fluid pump having means for controlling the direction of push of the energy impulses.

The aforesaid objects of the present invention, and other objects which will become apparent as the description proceeds, are achieved by providing a pump with a housing defining a pump chamber to receive fluid to be pumped. The pump chamber having an inlet and an outlet. At least two electrodes are disposed in the pump ing chamber in spaced relation to one another to form a gap to be jumped by a spark for pumping. Means are provided for forming a spark across said gap to generate energy for pumping. In addition means are provided for directing the pumping energy.

For a better understanding of the present invention reference should be had to the accompanying drawings, wherein like numerals of reference indicate similar parts throughout the several views and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a sectional elevational view illustrating the pump of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the lines 22 of FIG. 1 in the direction of the arrows; 1*

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic view of energy waves reflection from a parabolic plate.

With specific reference to the form of the present invention illustrated in the drawings, and referring particularly to FIG. 1, a spark pump is indicated generally by the reference numeral 10. The spark pump has a pump casing 12 with an annular wall 14 which defines a pump chamber 16 therein.

A plate 18 is disposed inside the pump chamber 16 and is fixed to the annular wall 14 by any number of well known methods such as by welding. In order to direct the pump energy in one direction, the plate 18, is provided with a directing means, such as a parabolic plate portion 20 of the plate 18 with its open end facing the outlet 42.

In order to provide an electric spark 21 in the pump chamber 16, a spark forming means, such as at least two electrodes 22, are fixed to the parabolic plate portion 20. The electrodes 22 are located on the parabolic plate portion 20 so that when the spark 21 is induced across the electrodes 22 (as hereinafter described) the spark 21 will be located at the focus 24 of the parabolic plate portion 20.

As shown in FIG. 1, any number of well-known suitable means can be provided to induce the spark 21 across the electrodes 22. The electrodes 22 are connected to a source of high voltage 26 by lines 28 and 30. The lines 3,270,688 Patented Sept. 6, 1966 "ice 28 and 30 pass in part through the plate 18 and the pump casing 12 and are provided with suitable insulating means for the high voltages involved. A switch 32 may be located in one of the lines such as in line 28. By controlling the opening and closing of switch 32, voltage flow may be controlled to the electrodes 22 to control sparking within the pump chamber 16.

The source of electrical energy 26 may be a storage bank, such as an RC complex which is well known in the art, connected to an A.C. source by leads 34 and 36. It should also be understood that switch 32 may be omitted from the circuit and sparking controlled by adjusting the gap 38 between the electrodes 22 and the rate of charge build-up sufficient to jump the gap as required. Still another control means (not shown) is to provide a variable primary or control gap in one of the lines 28 and 30. In this manner, the variable gap (not shown) controls voltage flow by requiring a higher charge than does gap 38. It should be realized that the resistance of the liquid tobe pumped must be considered.

The pump casing 12, is provided with an inlet 40 to pass fluid from a pump supply source, such as a tank (not shown) to the pump chamber 16, and an outlet 42 for discharging the pumped fluid. In order to prevent reverse flow of the pumped fluid back into the pump chamber 16, a check valve assembly 44 can be located in the pump outlet 42.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that in order to create a spark 21 between the electrodes 22 across the gap 38 a great deal of voltage is required. The energy produced by the voltage dissipated across the gap 38 by the spark 21, acting against the fluid in the pump chamber 16, will cause the fluid in the chamber 16 to expand. In expanding, the fluid in the pump chamber 16, will push against a 'ball 46 and overcome the force of a spring 48 of the check valve assembly 44, and thus pressure fluid will be discharged out of the outlet 42. When the efliects of the spark 21 across the gap 38 dissipate additional fluid will automatically be drawn into the pump chamber 16 by the partial vacuum created by the discharged fluid. The plate 18 is provided with multiple openings 49 to permit free flow of fluid to the pump chamber 16. These openings are continuously unobstructed since no valves are used.

It will further be understood by those skilled in the art that if the electrodes 22 are arranged to induce a spark at the focus 24 of the parabolic plate portion 20, all of the energy waves 50 generated which are initially directed toward the parabolic plate portion 20, and away from the outlet 42, will be reflected by the parabolic plate portion 20 and will be directed toward the outlet 42 as shown in FIG. 3. Thus it will be seen that the parabolic plate 20 aflords a more eifective and efficient application of the energy generated by the induction of the spark 21.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that alternatively the check valve assembly 44 can be eliminated or an additional check valve assembly 44 can be provided at the inlet 40.

It will be recognized by those skilled in the art that the objects of the present invention have been achieved by providing a highly eflicient spark pump having a minimum number of moving parts and being provided with a means for controlling the direction of push of the energy impulses.

While in accordance with the patent statutes a preferred and alternative embodiments of the present invention have been illustrated and described in detail, it is to be particularly understood that the invention is not limited thereto or thereby.

I claim: 1. A pump comprising: a pumping chamber defined by a wall and a plate; said plate having at least one continuously unobstructed opening therethrough for allowing fluid to be pumped to enter said chamber; said wall having an outlet for discharging pumped fluid from said chamber; at least two electrodes disposed in said chamber in spaced relation to one another to form a gap to be jumped by a spark for pumping; electrical means for forming a spark across said gap to generate energy for pumping; and means for directing said pumping energy in one direction. 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said directing means is a parabolic portion of said plate with the open end of said portion facing said outlet.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said spark is induced at the focus of said parabolic portion.

References Cited by the Examiner MARTIN P. SCHWADRON, Primary Examiner. MARK NEWMAN, Examiner.

W. I. KRAUSS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A PUMP COMPRISING: A PUMPING CHAMBER DEFINED BY A WALL AND A PLATE; SAID PLATE HAVING AT LEAST ONE CONTINUOUSLY UNOBSTRUCTED OPENING THERETHROUGH FOR ALLOWING FLUID TO BE PUMPED TO ENTER SAID CHAMBER; SAID WALL HAVING AN OUTLET FOR DISCHARGING PUMPED FLUID FROM SAID CHAMBER; AT LEAST TWO ELECTRODES DISPOSED IN SAID CHAMBER IN SPACED RELATION TO ONE ANOTHER TO FORM A GAP TO BE JUMPED BY A SPARK FOR PUMPING; ELECTRICAL MEANS FOR FORMING A SPARK ACROSS SAID GAP TO GENERATE ENERGY FOR PUMPING; AND MEANS FOR DIRECTING SAID PUMPING ENERGY IN ONE DIRECTION.
 2. THE APPARATUS OF CLAIM 1 WHEREIN SAID DIRECTING MEANS IS A PARABOLIC PORTION OF SAID PLATE WITH THE OPEN END OF SAID PORTION FACING SAID OUTLET. 